Amselem Jacques. Formation du livre de Ruth: pamphlet libertin au dessein caché?

École doctorale Pratiques et théories du sens, Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, 2015. — 404 p.According to the initial verse of the Book of Ruth, the story takes place during the period of the Judges. However, its place in the Hebrew Bible canon, where it is revealed in Writings (Ketuvim), as well as linguistic aspects of the text, has led scholars to believe that the book was composed during a late post-exilic period. The purpose of this study is to learn the development of the Book of Ruth and in particular, the political messages and customs of that precise period. Thanks to the conciseness of the story, an analysis in a laboratory-like environment is possible. The model that results from this study displays a very complex textual construction of several layers of writings and multiple authors. In turn, it enables one to observe various language styles scattered over a period of several centuries. Some of the language expressions are characteristic of Paleo-Hebrew and some are influenced by Talmudic Aramaic. There also appear to be logical inconsistencies within the narrative and reminders of a polytheistic cult. This research takes us on a journey through time that begins as a folktale of a Moabite woman in the land of Judea, probably from the turn of Royalty around the year 1000 BC. The journey halts unexpectedly during the seventh or sixth century BC, as its first writings appear during this period. It finally concludes during the fifth or fourth century BC, with the return to Zion from exile in Babylon, a period in which the Masoretic version of the Book of Ruth was likely written.